Railway-crossing.



No. 637,6I8. Y Patented Nnv. 2|, |899.

G. P. KEITH.

RAILWAY CROSSING. (Application led Apn, 18949.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 637,618. 4 Patented Nov. 2|, |899... G. P. KEITH.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

(Application led Apr. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED ySTATES PATENT EETCE.

GEORGE PETER KEITH, OF ROCHESTER, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND CHARLES E. GOULD, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY-CROSSING.

"SPECIFICATION formng part of Letters Patent No. 637,618, dated November 21, 1899.

Application led Apr18, 1899. Serial No. 712,266. (No model) T all zoll/0m t may con/cern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE PETER KEITH, of Rochester, in the county of Fulton and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Railway Crossing, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in crossings for railways; and the object is to provide a crossing that may be easily and quickly operated to place the rails of either one of the two crossing tracks in continuity, so that a train may pass over the crossing without undue jarring.

I will describe a railway-crossin g embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indif cate corresponding parts in all the gures.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a crossing embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the crossing as partly turned. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a turn-table employed and showing the parts in one position. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the parts inv another position. Fig. 7 is a section showing the elevating and turning mechanism in lowered position. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the elevating mechanism raised. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 7, showing the parts in the position indicated in Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a similar section, but showing the position of parts as indicated in Fig. 8; and Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11 11 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, 1 2 designate the rails of one track and 3 4t the rails of another track, which are here shown as arranged at right angles to the tracks 1 2; but it is to be understood that the mechanism hereinafter described will operate eftectually whether the tracks be crossed at right angles or at any other angle. The crossing comprises two rails 5 6, which at the outer sides of their ends are tapered to engage against the horizontallytapered ends of the main-track rails, so that the inner surfaces of the crossing rails when in position will be in line with the inner surfaces of the main rails with which they engage. Therails 5 and 6 are connected near the ends by cross-bars 7, and they are connected'at the center by a cross-plate 8.

Arranged in a pit underneath the crossing is a cylinder 9, in which a piston 10 is operated either by compressed air or steam. however, to use compressed air, which may be supplied to the cylinder below the piston through a pipe 11, leading from a suitable tank, in which the airis contained under pressure, and this pipe is provided with a controlling-valve 12, from which a stem 13 extends upward to be in easy reach of an operator at the side of the track.

Secured on a platform 14 beneath the crossing is a turn-table section 15, which is made in the form of a ring and has a tubular extension 16 projected through an opening in the platform 14E. The upper Vsection 17 of the turn-table has a tubular extension 18 projecting downward through the tubular portion 16 and is adapted to rotate therein. On the upper side of the turn-table section is a stop-lu g 19, adapted to be engaged by either one of the shoulders 20 21, which form the end walls of a segmentally-cut-away por- Vtion of said section 17 of the turn-table.

From the piston 10 a piston-rod 22 extends upward through the tubular extension 18 and is designed to move vertically therein. and also to have a rotary movement therein. The upper end of this piston-rod 22 is rigidly connected to the cross-plate 8. As here shown, it is extended through said cross-plate and has a nut on its upper end, which bears upon the top of the' cross-plate. Secured to the piston-rod 22 just below the cross-plate 8 is a locking device controlling the plate 23, from which rods24 extend downward and are adapted to move in channels 25, formed in the opposite sides of the tubular extension 18. Near its lower end the tubular extension 18 is provided with opposite segmental openings 26 27, and at one end of each opening a vertical slot 28 is formed in the tubular extension 18, and in these slots 28 pins 29 0n the rod 22 are designed to move when the said rod is forced upward, as will be hereinafter described.

From the plate 23 links 30 31 extend, re-

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the other member of said lever `extends a locking-bolt37. These several locking-bolts are designed to engage underneath the main rails when the, crossing is in its operative position, so as to prevent any possible upward movement of the crossing when in such operative position.

Attached to the lower endof the tubular` extension 18 isa bevel-gear 38, which meshes with a bevel-gear 39 on a horizontal shaft 40 which extends outward to the side of the track ends of this sprocket-chain are connected, respectively, above and below the pivotal point of an actuating-lever 43, which extendsV up through the track-bed at the side of the track'.

Mounted on the rod 22, but in which the rod is designed to turn, is a cross-head 44, i which extends diagonally across the ends of z Extended upward `from the?y ends of this cross-head 44 and through openings in the platform 14 are stop-rods 45 46.. These stop-rodsare designed to be moved upl ward with the piston-rod `to form stops for the main rails.

the crossing when it is turned into position.

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cated at y in Fig. 2. lever will impart sufficient rotation to the shaft 40 to rotate the turn-table section 17 a sufficient distance to vbring the pins 29 in line with the slots 28. While the parts are in1 this position, the valve 12 is to be opened to allow the operating medium to pass intothe A cylinder 9 underneath the piston 10. v The@ pressure of this medium operating upon the piston 10 will raise the crossing to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2,.,and of course at this time thestops 45 and 46 will l, also be raised.y It may be here stated that 'when the lever 43 is moved to its irst position the locking-bolts will be drawn out from underneath the rails of the main tracks.

When the crossing is in its elevated position,- y

by throwing the lever 43 to its extremeQp'osition, (indicated ata in Fig. 2,) the crossing will be rotated to the proper position and will Ibe S stopped by the shoulder 2 1 coming in contact As before stated, the momentum of the crossing will'be stopped by the parts 45 and 46.

with the stop-lug 19.

Now by allowing the airfor other medium to escape from the cylinder 9 by opening the valve 12 or otherwise the crossing will move downwardby gravity and between the tracks.

to an engagementwith the main rails. Of course in turning the crossing in the opposite direction the lever V43 is to be operated ina direction the reverse to that above described.

Arranged at the sides of the main tracks are signal devices 47, which Vmay be of the semaphore type. Operating-rods 48 extend from the signal devices across the main tracks vided with a collar 49, adapted to be engaged .with the depending ends of a locking-bolt 50 y on a lever 5l, mounted to swing on one of the cross-ties of the track, andadapted to be engaged at its inner end withl one of the crossbars 7 of the crossing when said crossing lis moved downward-that is, when the crossing is lowered to its opera-tive position the bar 7 will engage with the lever 5l and move the fingers or depending ends of the locking-bolt 50 out of engagement with the ends of the collar 49, so that the rod 48 maybe moved longitudin'ally to set the signal indicating that the crossing.V is safe. The other signal device, however, will be held from movement by :meansfof a locking-bolt engaging -with the part 49 or its operating-rod. Asuitable cover may be provided to protect the Working parts of the crossing from snow or rain. Y

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Y 1. In a railway-crossing, crossing-"rails connected together, a cylinder4 `under the cross- In other Words, they are designed to prevent the crossing from swinging ltoo far by its moi ing, a pressure-actuated [piston in the cylinder, a piston-'rod extended from the piston y andhavingconnection with the crossing so In operation when it is desired to shift the Q crossing from one track to the other the lever 43 is rst to be moved to aposition indi- This movement of the as to rotate therewith and means for rotating the crossing, lsubstantially as specified.

2. In a railway-crossin g, crossing-rails connec-ted together, an air-cylinder arranged ina pit beneath the crossing, a piston in said cylinder, apiston-rod extended from the piston to a connection with the crossing, aturn-table comprising a fixed section and a rotary section, a stopon one of said sections for engaging with va shoulder on the other of said sections, .a tubular extension on said rotary section and through which the piston-rod passes, 'a pin extended from the piston-rod and adapted to move in a vertical slot formed in `said extension, a gear-wheel on said extension, a horizontal shaft having a gear connection with the gear-wheel, and means for rotating the horizontal sha-ft, substantial-ly as specified. Y

3. In a railway-crossing, a crossing consistins-g of two rails connected together, a turntable consisting of va fixed section and a rotary section, a cylindrical extension on the rotary section extended through the fixed section, a rod extended through said cylindrical extension, apin on said rod adapted for movement in a slotformed in said extension, pressu-reactuated means for raising therod and crossing, a bevel-gear on 'the lower end of said cylindrical extension, Va horizontal shaft having Each rod 48 is pro- IOO TIO

a gear engagement with said first-named gear, a lever and operative connection between said lever and the horizontal shaft, substantially as specified.

4. In a railway-crossing, a crossing consisting of two rails secured together, a turn-table consisting of a fixed section and a rotary section, stop devices on the two sections, an airpressure cylinder arranged beneath the crossing, a piston-rod having connection with the piston in the cylinder, the said piston-rod passing through the rotary section of the turn-table and having connection with the crossing, means for rotating the rotary section of the turn-table, and means for causing the pistonrod and crossing to rotate the said rotary section of the turn-table, substantially as specified.

5. In a railway-crossing, two crossing-rails secured together, locking-bars carried by the crossing and adapted for engagement underneath the rails of the main tracks, an air-pressure-actuated rod on which the crossing is mounted, connections between the lockingbolts and said rod, whereby the bolts are moved to their releasing position upon a rotary movement of the rod, and means for rotating said rod to rotatively swing the crossing, substantially as specified.

6. In a railway-crossing, a crossing consisting of two rails connected together, means for imparting vertical movement to said crossing, means for imparting a rotary swinging motion to said crossing, a signal arranged in the side of the main track, a signa1-operating rod extending across the track, and a locking device for said rod, adapted to be moved to its re leasing position by the crossing as :it is lowered into operative position, substantially as specified.

GEORGE PETER KEITH.

Witnesses:

M. A. BAKER, DEL. WARD. 

